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hanks to the influx of Austrian, German, and Swiss settlers to Argentinian Patagonia at the turn of the century, the lake region’s architecture tends toward chalet-style lodges and wooden cottages. Certain areas of Bariloche, complete with tourist-friendly German shepherd puppies and decorative gables, feel so campy that you’re almost expecting to hear a yodeler off in the distance. The Aldebaran Hotel, by contrast, is refreshingly modern and understated. While the design stays true to the mountain lodge spirit with traditional wood beams and fireplaces, the hotel isn’t channeling The Sound of Music — the style is classic and uncluttered.

The ten-room boutique is located on a cliff overlooking the crystal-blue lake of Nahuel Huapi, a solid 20-minute drive from the city of Bariloche. The relatively remote setting, not to mention the designer’s use of natural building materials like smooth gray stone and locally produced timber, lend the Aldebaran a pleasingly down-to-earth atmosphere. Inviting public spaces include the lodge’s main sitting room, featuring intimate white-cushioned nooks and huge picture windows facing the lake, and the hotel spa with its innovative inside/outside swimming pool that makes a paddle under the stars possible regardless of the lake’s temperature. Guest rooms are outfitted with cozy fabrics in neutral tones and brightly colored woven tapestries. Awash with natural light, each room contains a daybed or a plush armchair and a private lakeview terrace or balcony. The amply sized bathrooms, done up in earth-colored tile, are just as appealing.

The hotel’s Sirius restaurant, occupying a seductively lit, stone-inlaid space, prepares organic regional cuisine — think homemade bread, grass-fed beef, and a bottle of Malbec — that encourages guests to dine onsite. The Aldebaran’s location is a trade-off, after all — the city’s attractions aren’t exactly within walking distance, but hikers, rafters, and kayakers will find the hotel’s proximity to unspoiled lakes and mountains an unqualified asset.


How to Get There

Aldebaran Hotel & Spa is approximately a 25 minute drive from Teniente Luis Candelaria International Airport (BRC).